Successful Treatment of Symptomatic Epilepsy with Oral Valproic Acid and Levetiracetam in a Patient with Short-bowel Syndrome.

Valproic acid (VPA) and levetiracetam (LEV) are used in epilepsy treatment. However, their use to treat short-bowel syndrome has not been reported. We herein report a 68-year-old man who was hospitalized for symptomatic epilepsy following cerebral infarction. He had a history of superior mesenteric arterial occlusion, and only 30 cm of his jejunum was intact. VPA and LEV were administered, and good blood levels were achieved at clinical doses. This suggests that the gastrointestinal tract absorption of LEV and VPA is good even in patients with short-bowel syndrome and a 30-cm jejunum.

In-Stent Restenosis of Carotid and Vertebral Arteries Treated by Angioplasty Using a Cutting Balloon: A Case Report.

Objective: We treated a patient with internal carotid artery and vertebral artery ostium in-stent restenosis (ISR) treated by cutting balloon (CB) angioplasty. Case Presentation: A 79-year-old man developed dizziness and right homonymous upper quadrantanopia. On arrival, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed acute-stage brain infarction. Angiography demonstrated left internal carotid artery and vertebral artery ostium stenosis (VAOS), which was thought to be related to the infarction. We performed stenting for both lesions, but 5 months later, restenosis occurred. The patient was successfully retreated by CB angioplasty for both lesions. Conclusion: When treating carotid or vertebral artery ISR, plain balloon (PB) and stent-in-stent (SIS) procedures may induce insufficient dilatation, and hamper re-retreatment because of neointimal hyperplasia. Using CB should be considered as an option in such cases.

Treatment Strategies for Basilar Top Syndrome Caused by Acute Vertebral Artery Occlusion.

Objective: We report a patient with basilar artery embolism caused by vertebral artery stenosis who was successfully treated using simultaneous percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and mechanical thrombectomy. Case Presentation: A 64-year-old male, who had undergone medical treatment for cerebellum infarction at another hospital, was referred to our hospital due to disturbance of consciousness. Angiography revealed acute occlusion of the first part of the right vertebral artery and an embolism of the top of basilar artery. After performing PTA to create an approach route for the embolism, we collected it using a clot recovering device. The postoperative course was good, and the patient was discharged with mild ataxia and dysarthria. Conclusion: We report the successful treatment of progressive cerebral infarction of the posterior circulation with revascularization 30 hours after symptom onset. Unlike the anterior circulation, the posterior circulation consists of smaller arteries and fewer collateral arteries, making it vulnerable to ischemic attack. Therefore, shortening the time until treatment may improve the outcome.

[Internal Carotid Artery-Cavernous Sinus Fistula in a Patient with Masked Hypertension Caused by Bilateral Subclavian Artery Stenosis:A Case Report].

We herein report a case of direct carotid-cavernous fistula(direct CCF)in a patient with masked hypertension caused by bilateral subclavian artery stenosis. A 74-year-old woman presented with headache, right-sided proptosis, double vision, and pulsatile tinnitus since past 10 days. The patient was diagnosed with direct CCF. Transarterial embolization in the region of the right internal carotid artery was performed, after which her symptoms resolved. However, additional interventions in the form of subclavian artery stenting were required, because of the complications of left subclavian artery occlusion and right subclavian artery stenosis. Satisfactory dilatations were achieved, and the angiographic 'steal' phenomenon disappeared. The patient had terminated antihypertensive treatment because of the normalization of her brachial blood pressure; however, this was merely pseudo-normalization due to subclavian artery insufficiency. We consider this a case of direct CCF occurring as a complication of masked hypertension caused by bilateral subclavian artery stenosis.

Indications and Timings of Re-operation for Residual or Recurrent Hemifacial Spasm after Microvascular Decompression: Personal Experience and Literature Review.

We reviewed reports about the postoperative course of hemifacial spasm (HFS) after microvascular decompression (MVD), including in our own patients, and investigated treatment for delayed resolution or recurrence of HFS. Symptoms of HFS disappear after surgery in many patients, but spasm persists postoperatively in about 10-40%. Residual spasm also gradually decreases, with rates of 1-13% at 1 year postoperatively. However, because delayed resolution is uncommon after 1 year postoperatively, the following is advised: (1) In patients with residual spasms after 1 year postoperatively (incomplete cure) or who again experience spasm ≥ 1 year postoperatively (recurrence), re-operation is recommended if the spasms are worse than before MVD. (2) When re-operation is considered, preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and intraoperative videos should be reviewed to ensure that no compression due to a small artery or vein was missed, and to confirm that adhesions with the prosthesis are not causing compression. If any suspicious findings are identified, the cause must be eliminated. Moreover, because of the risk of nerve injury, decompression of the distal portion of the facial nerve should be performed only in patients in whom distal compression is strongly suspected to be the cause of symptoms. (3) Cure rates after re-operation are high, but complications such as hearing impairment and facial weakness have been reported in 10-20% of cases, so surgery must be performed with great care.

Hyperlexia and ambient echolalia in a case of cerebral infarction of the left anterior cingulate cortex and corpus callosum.

We report the case of a 69-year-old woman with cerebral infarction in the left anterior cingulate cortex and corpus callosum. She showed hyperlexia, which was a distinctive reading phenomenon, as well as ambient echolalia. Clinical features also included complex disorders such as visual groping, compulsive manipulation of tools, and callosal disconnection syndrome. She read words written on the cover of a book and repeated words emanating from unrelated conversations around her or from hospital announcements. The combination of these two features due to a focal lesion has never been reported previously. The supplementary motor area may control the execution of established subroutines according to external and internal inputs. Hyperlexia as well as the compulsive manipulation of tools could be interpreted as faulty inhibition of preexisting essentially intact motor subroutines by damage to the anterior cingulate cortex reciprocally interconnected with the supplementary motor area.